


The Siblings God Never Gave Us

by SiwgrGalon



Category: The Book of Mormon - Parker/Stone/Lopez
Genre: Best Friends, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, M/M, Mentions of Sex, Referenced Sex, Relationship Advice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 20:14:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7815568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SiwgrGalon/pseuds/SiwgrGalon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tucked away in Connor's and Kevin's shoebox apartment, sheltered from the storm raging outside, Connor and Nabulungi have a heart to heart about boys, relationships and, indeed, wedding nights.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Siblings God Never Gave Us

‘Can I ask you something?’

Sitting on the bed, Nabulungi had spent the last five, ten minutes worrying about how to phrase her question. She couldn’t help but burst it out as soon as the shower stopped.

‘Sure,’ came the immediate answer, loud enough to easily carry through the door and over the soft rustling of cloth.

Seconds later, the door opened and a mass of red hair, darkened by its damp state, popped out as Connor trained his eyes on the girl currently occupying what theoretically was Kevin’s side of the bed.

‘Ask away,’ he chirped, before returning to the task of presumably dressing himself.

‘It’s something… private,’ Naba said, unsure how else to word it. ‘It can wait until you are ready.’

She leaned back against the headboard, listening to the rain battering the windows and worrying the hem of the soft t-shirt she had borrowed from Connor.

There was no point in trying to make her way back to Washington tonight, not with the storm outside. The trains were running delayed, if at all, so Connor had made the executive decision that Naba would stay overnight.

‘No, Naba, I’m not letting you take the chance of stranding somewhere, or sleeping in the station,’ he had said, while rifling through drawers on the hunt for a pair of pajamas to lend his best friend.

‘Plus, Kevin probably won’t make it back from Utah tonight, either, and I’m more than happy to have company in this storm.’

The addendum of _and this way, I also won’t get a chance to worry myself sick about both of you_ had hung in the air between the two friends, but Nabulungi knew Connor well enough to just add it herself.

Now, cocooned in the seemingly never fading warmth of her friends’ shoebox apartment, she let her thoughts wander while the redhead finished whatever he was doing.

Nabulungi still remembered the first time she saw Connor, as if it was yesterday.

His whiteness had stunned her; his red hair and the freckles on his nose, made more prominent by the sun, had been so other, he had been the scariest and, at the same time, the most exciting person she had ever seen.

Of course, there had been plenty of white boys (and sometimes girls, although Naba had found it hard to make friends with them) in the village over time.

Usually the novelty of their arrival had quickly worn off. But no one had ever been quite like Connor and, by extent, the other boys in his mission. Even Arnold, whom she fiercely loved, had taken more time to take her heart.

Gotswana had scoffed once Connor was out of earshot, saying he looked like a ghost. To Naba, Connor had always looked more like a doll, like the one her mother cherished before it was lost, with porcelain skin and a faint ruddiness in his cheeks.

Of course, the redhead had still been a missionary, but after Naba and the others overcame some initial reservations (and despite him being a bit too preachy at first), he had turned out to be one of the most genuine, open-hearted people the young woman had ever met.

Five years later, she considered him her closest friend. Or maybe the sibling she never had, going by the amount of squabbling they sometimes indulged in, which could drive their respective partners up the wall.

Now, as the door opened and Connor made to perch next to Nabulungi on the soft mattress, his lower back, hips and knees cracking faintly, she couldn’t help but giggle. Even in faded tartan pajama bottoms and a well-loved NYU t-shirt, the colors clashing horribly, he still managed to look somewhat put together.

‘What are you laughing at?’ There was no anger in Connor’s voice, only mild curiosity as if he was worried about missing out on a joke.

‘You sound like an old man, with all your creaky, clicky joints.’ Naba turned her body, so she was looking at Connor.

‘That’s the price I pay for staying loose-limbed, flexible and sexy,’ he shot back, chuckling. 

‘Although admittedly, I have been lazy this week and didn’t bother with stretching every day.’

‘No way!’ The young woman gasped in exaggerated alarm, earning herself a playful swat.

‘Oh, stop it, you,’ Connor fake-scolded, but the frown on his face didn’t last for long.

‘You wanted to ask me something when I’m ready, and here I am, so… ask away.’

At that, Naba turned pensive, zoning out for a moment as she looked at the duvet. She didn’t quite know how to start this conversation, how to ask without feeling – or looking – like a silly girl. Insecurity, uncommon as it was, had grabbed hold of her heart, keeping it in a firm grip while she fidgeted with her hands.

Nabulungi didn’t know how long they remained like this, but she was thankful that Connor seemed willing to give her time. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable or awkward; it just was.

‘Hey,’ Connor piped up at some point. 

‘Are you okay, Naba? You do know that you can ask me anything, right?’

A gentle touch to her knee, paired with the tinge of worry Naba could make out in her best friend’s voice, made her head whip up almost comically fast, seeking out his face. Connor had changed positions slightly, sitting on his haunches across from rather than next to her, his knees nearly touching one of Naba’s. His head cocked to the side, he looked inquisitive and open, and there was no trace of worry in the lines of his face.

The easy, intimate friendship between them still confused her at times, but Naba felt the tension recede, even if just slightly. It was so different to what she had with Arnold, but it still helped ease her nerves a little.

‘I’m okay, don’t worry,’ she started.

‘I will tell you. Well, ask you. But you have to promise me not to laugh.’

In response, Connor just nodded. Naba took a steadying breath, yet she still spoke in something akin to haste, her words slightly jumbled as her pronunciation fell back to the thick accent she’d had before coming to the US.

‘Were you nervous and worried when you slept with Kevin for the first time?’

She’d seen a lot of things in her young life, but Connor McKinley seemingly at a loss for a witty quip was something Naba felt not many people had seen. She never wanted to forget it.

‘Are you asking what I think you’re asking?' 

His words were level, but his voice was pitched higher than usual, as if he was unable to decide between embarrassed laughter and slightly panicked hysterics.

Surprisingly enough, knowing that even Connor – the very person Naba thought of when she heard the words ‘comfortable in your own body’ – was not as relaxed as usual in this matter had taken the embarrassment out of her, as if someone had turned a light switch.

‘The first time you had sex with Kevin, were you scared?’

Suddenly, saying it out loud wasn’t scary or weird anymore. Instead, the wait for her best friend’s answer filled Naba with the buzz of anxious anticipation and immense curiosity.

‘That… depends?’ Connor’s right hand moved to stroke his neck, while he squinted at Naba as if deep in thought.

‘If we’re talking touching, and kissing and… stuff, then nervous would be the more appropriate sentiment. But even if we’re talking about full-on penetrative sex, I still don’t think scared is the word I’d choose.' 

He paused, their breathing and the rustling of Connor’s sweatpants against the eggshell blue duvet the only sounds in the room while he changed position once again. Settling into a cross-legged seat with another faint pop of his hips, he folded his hands in his lap and for a moment just looked at Naba.

Outside, the wind continued howling. 

‘I hope you don’t mind me asking, but what brought this on?’

Her cheeks grew hot as the blush rose, but there was something weirdly empowering about Connor’s leveled reaction. For Nabulungi, it was a small piece of proof that confiding in him, rather than her college friends, was the right choice after all.

Even if Connor was a boy, and one that had no interest in girls whatsoever at that. (Or maybe, Naba’s sub-consciousness whispered, it’s exactly because of that.)

‘Well… I will be marrying Arnold soon, and that’s what’s expected of us, isn’t it?' 

By now, there was no hiding the insecurity in her voice. She was scared of what people expected of her. Of what the Church expected of them.

But the most frightening thing of them all was Arnold’s expectation.

‘I mean, all we’ve done is kiss and cuddle, to remain chaste as good Mormons do even if we sleep in the same bed already, but… don’t you think Arnold will want to sleep with me?

‘What if he doesn’t, though? What will he want me to do? What _do_ you actually do? What if it… hurts? Did it hurt you?’

Connor’s raised hand interrupted her train of thought. Naba looked at her friend in confusion as he made a weird little sound in the back of his throat, followed by a low hum. The small smile on his face was not entirely unlike the one she had seen him share with Kevin in those rare moments where their vulnerabilities came to light in front of their friends. 

 _It’s probably how he’d smile at his sisters._ The thought momentarily made Naba’s heart ache for an entirely different reason than her own worries.

‘Alright, Nabulungi, stop.’

It was weird to hear him use her full name, but the fondness in Connor’s voice stood so reminiscent of the way her father would say it that she couldn’t help but smile.

‘First of all, this is about you, okay? The wedding is about you and Arnold. Not his parents, not your father and definitely, absolutely not about any church, be it Latter-Day Saints or others.’

As Connor reached out to take Naba’s hands, she suddenly grew shy and wanted to look away, but something prevented her. He sounded like Elder McKinley again, albeit softer, and the look in his eyes matched the decisiveness, the driving insistence, in his voice.

‘And that includes the wedding night and anything that happens there. If you want to have sex with your husband, then that’s good and you should… but if you don’t, then you do. Not. Have. To. Do anything.

‘You don’t have to go all the way. Even if Arnold wants to, this is as much your decision as it is his; in the same way, if he doesn’t want to sleep with you, you’ll have to respect that.’

She could see why they had made him District Leader. There was a firm but friendly authority to Connor’s words, yet they held no judgment.

‘No, I think I want to sleep with him,’ came her immediate reply.

‘I’m just scared of… of everything. What if it hurts? What if I don’t like it?’

Hesitance crept into her voice.

‘What if _he_ doesn’t like _me_?’ 

A rather inelegant snort, courtesy of the ginger across the bed, interrupted Naba’s line of questioning.

‘It’s not funny, Connor! You promised not to laugh at me!’

If she had been standing, Naba knew this would’ve been the moment her hands went onto her hips, to assume what Ghali had often called her no-bullshit stance. As it was, she had to settle for crossing them in front of her chest.

‘Sorry. I wasn’t laughing at you. Well, not per say,’ Connor’s voice softened.

‘Honestly, Arnold loves you. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. He practically worships the ground you walk on.’

 _Like you do with Kevin, then,_ she thought, but she didn’t want to say it out loud. _Or like Kevin does with you._

‘But he’s never seen me naked,’ Naba protested. 

‘I don’t look like all the American girls I see on campus. My hair is curly and not as soft as theirs. I don’t wear all the fashionable things and brands they own.’

Naba loosened her arms, choosing to wrap them around herself instead. Embarrassed by her own insecurity she couldn’t meet Connor’s eyes anymore, so she settled on the motif on his chest instead. There were cracks in the print, only faint; a few more washes, and they’d start to become noticeable.

‘I’m not as skinny as them. What if he thinks my thighs are disgusting because there’s no gap between them?’

She didn’t see the way Connor’s eyes clouded over, or how he reached out to hug her before deciding against it, for now.

‘Oh, Naba.' 

The sigh following her name made the young woman slowly raise her head again, just in time to feel one of the redhead’s hands land on her shoulders.

‘I’m sure they’re wonderful girls, but so are you.

‘You’re kind and funny and warm. When you smile, you cheer everyone up. You may not be as skinny as models, but a) who is and b) as long as you feel happy and healthy, that’s the perfect size.’

A grin spread over his face. 

‘And, personally, I think if Arnold doesn’t appreciate your thighs, he’s a darn idiot who deserves to be slapped, because they’re glorious.’

She laughed at the sass in his voice and the way he wagged his eyebrows suggestively, before turning a bit more serious again.

'In all honesty, though, you’re gorgeous. Your figure is perfectly fine the way it is. I’m not just saying that because you’re my best girl friend.

‘Plus, if it calms you, you’ve got a lovely slim waist, which I’m sure the other girls are really jealous of,’ he gave her a little pinch, as if to emphasize the point, ‘and, probably the most important point: Arn chose you, not them, to marry.

‘He may be Kevin’s best friend, but I know Arnold well enough to know that he’s impulsive, yes, but he’s not a guy who’d just go and propose if he didn’t genuinely mean it.’

Just like that, the knots of fear around her heart start to unravel.

Comfortable silence descended once again, allowing them both to let their thoughts drift. While working through what her best friend just said, Naba realized one thing: in his little monologue, Connor never really answered her questions about his own sexual experience.

‘Connor?’ 

A murmured ‘mhhhh’ was all she got. Connor must’ve been deep in thought; he wasn’t usually monosyllabic like this.

By now, Nabulungi had become really curious. Answers were definitely needed, and what better way to distract herself from her own insecurities than turning attention to more entertaining things – namely, trying to get Connor to spill secrets.

‘Have you and Kevin actually had sex?’

It had been a valid question, no doubt, if maybe a bit intrusive.

Much to Naba’s disappointment, Connor was neither flustered nor exceptionally shocked.

‘Yeah,’ he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

‘Of course we have.’

 

**-oOoOoOo-**

 

‘Of course we have.’

The moment the words left his lips, Connor knew he’d made a mistake. As dear as he held her, one of Naba’s worst traits was her curiosity and her gift to ask questions.

A career in journalism would definitely suit her. Maybe even PR – she could be his agent!

Then again, considering the amount of sexual innuendo Kevin – and, yes, Connor too – sometimes, even if rarely, flung around, especially directed at each other, it should be obvious they’d gone beyond stealing chaste kisses. 

The former District Leader wasn’t given much time to mull over his decision, as big, brown eyes fixed on his face, sparkling with mischief and unasked questions.

‘Soooooooo?’

Oh, he really should’ve seen this coming, shouldn’t he? 

‘I’m not telling you!’

‘Oh come on, Connor, you want to, I can see it on your face!’

‘How do you… no, wait, I don’t want to know. And no, I really don’t want to tell you about Kevin’s and my sex life.' 

‘Oh yes, you do,’ Naba sing-songed, giggling. ‘You want to brag, I can see it on your face!’

Connor decided to reply with stony silence, but the faint blush rising in his cheeks must’ve been answer enough. 

Okay, so maybe he did want to brag, even just a little, but that wasn’t really _appropriate_ , was it? Especially not without Kevin’s consent… then again, he didn’t know what Kevin and Arnold talked about, although Connor doubted it would be sex.

‘I knew you did!’ She wouldn’t let go now, not when Connor wasn’t putting up much of a resistance.

‘So, spill. Come on, this is your chance to take my fears away.’

This time it was Connor who turned his gaze to the duvet. Running a hand through his hair, he gave a funny little sigh. If it sounded slightly exasperated, the gentle, genuine smile stretching his lips showed he didn’t really hold it against his friend.

‘Kevin is very good,’ Connor conceded, rolling his eyes as he gave up.

‘And before you ask: yes, he has every right to brag.’

Cheekily biting his lip, as if letting Naba in on a secret of utmost importance, the former missionary used his hands to indicate exactly what Kevin had to brag about.

‘No way!’ Naba’s eyes widened comically as she looked down at the distance between her friend’s hands.

‘That’s… massive.’

As her gaze turned back to meet Connor’s, he could see the cogs in her head working. 

(She wondered what Arnold would look like, completely naked. Sure, they’d been swimming together a few times, but there was still a difference between seeing someone in swimming shorts or a bathing suit and being completely naked in front of each other.)

‘And he knows how to use it, too.’ Connor grinned, aware that he was like the cat that got the cream. He felt like it, too.

His friend’s excited squeak stunned the redhead, and they both broke into giggles.

‘Tell me more!' 

‘What? No!’ Connor managed to actually sound indignant for once, although he was sure it wouldn’t take much more prodding on Nabulungi’s side to get him to spill even more.

‘Aaaw, come on,’ her voice had taken on something different. Slightly teasing, she also managed to sound disappointed.

‘I’m really scared and insecure, Connor, help me out a bit!’

In response, Connor merely raised an eyebrow, looking his friend up and down.

‘I’ve just told you everything that’s wonderful about you. Before revealing my boyfriend’s penis size. Now you’re just asking because you’re nosy, missy, and you know it!’

Laughing with delight, Naba gave Connor playful shove. In response, he let himself fall backwards to stretch out on the bed, all while joining in on her laughter. The sudden switch from serious to playful had changed something between them, made the atmosphere lighter and open, and Connor felt like maybe sharing this part of his relationship with Kevin wasn’t that bad an idea.

After all, who’d be better to talk about this than his best friend?

Before he could grasp Naba’s wrist to tug her down next to him, she flopped on top of the redhead, momentarily knocking the air out of his lungs as she arranged her elbows on his chest, resting her head on her hands. 

‘Tell me everything, right now, Elder!’ she demanded, still giggling and poking his chest.

‘Ugh, how about you stop calling me that first?’ 

Connor really didn’t need to be reminded of the Church, or its stance on homosexuality or that he was pretty much committing a sin. Regularly. 

‘Well, then… tell me everything, Connor. Please.’ She still grinned, looking down into her friend’s face, watching his every reaction very closely so as not to miss any hints. 

‘What’s Kevin like? Is he ripped? And… does he make you scream? Like in the movies?’

That finally got a rise out of Connor, a fierce blush covering his cheeks and slowly spreading over his throat. Now that she’d said it, the redhead couldn’t resist thinking back to about a week ago, the night before Kevin left for Utah. It had been glorious, and a bit rougher than usual, and Connor had felt it for a day or two (or, well, three). Basked in it, if he was completely honest with himself. 

‘Ooooh, he does, doesn’t he?’

With an exaggerated sigh and an overly dramatic roll of his eyes, Connor relented.

‘I’ll make you a deal, Naba. I promise to answer your questions, truthfully, as long as they’re sensible and I don’t get the feeling you’re just doing it for shits and giggles,’ he made sure to shoot her a pointed look, to emphasize the point hopefully made by his use of not-quite-clean language. It was met with an eager nod.

‘But you have to promise you won’t tell anyone. Not a soul.

‘That includes Arnold, and it definitely, definitely includes Kevin.’

Naba was sill nodding, like one of those little dog statues people liked to have in their car, and the smile on her face had gotten impossibly wider. Connor found it weirdly endearing, even though he knew he’d potentially just shoveled his own grave.

‘I promise! Now, does he make you scream?’

Yep, definitely his grave. Cause of death: mortification after divulging details of his sex life.

‘Sometimes,’ Connor pressed out. A promise was a promise, especially when made to your best friend.

‘Only sometimes?’ There was that glint in Naba’s eyes again, as if she was only just getting started. It was going to be a long evening.

‘I know this might hard to believe, but I’m just not a loud person in bed. Doesn’t’ mean it’s not good or I don’t like it, because gosh knows I do, it just means I prefer to share my enjoyment with Kevin and nobody else.' 

 _Not to mention that he seems to very much approve of low moans in his ear,_ Connor thought, but kept it at that – Naba didn’t need to know everything. Knowing her, he’d be revealing enough anyways, so it was nice to keep little things to your heart.

‘Ooooh, that sounds nice,’ she said, gently petting his chest for a second. 

‘Well, that’s what sex should be, really.’

Crossing one arm behind his head, he looked at Naba; really looked, at her intrigued face, her mouth open just the slightest to form a little ‘o’, her eyes inquiring and curious.

In this moment she reminded him so much of his sisters – all of them – and the fact that he’d never get to do this with them. Yet the wave of protectiveness surging over him still took Connor by surprise.

‘I know the Church, and not just the Mormon Church either, tell you that sex should really just be to form a family, but honestly? If that’s all you’re doing it for, you’re really missing out on something.’

‘What do you mean?’ Nabulungi felt stupid for asking, as if she was missing out on an obvious point, but Connor just gave a little smile.

‘It’s like your relationship develops another level,’ he began, speaking slowly while his mind formulated what he wanted to say next.

‘Like… you can be intimate, and intimately close, without having full-on sex. I’m not going to dispute that, because all relationships are valid, and not being sexual doesn’t mean your relationship is worth less.

‘But, assuming you’re both sexual, and you’re both consenting, sleeping with the person you love is actually not just pretty nice, it’ll also really strengthen your bond and the trust between you.’

The first reaction he got was a little laugh, before Nabulungi reigned herself in. She probably saw the slightly hurt reflection cross his face, before Connor managed to suppress it. 

‘I know it sounds cheesy, but it’s true,’ he added, before falling silent.

A small hand pet his chest again, as his friend’s face turned apologetic. 

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh. But it sounds so weird, and the movies just make it look so… I don’t know, I don’t want to say meaningless, but it’s…’

‘Never believe the movies,’ Connor interrupted, ignoring his manners for the moment.

‘Hollywood has a very simple view on what it’s really like when two people decide to get naked with each other.’

‘How so?’

It was somewhat adorable, Connor thought, because Naba seemed to genuinely not know what he was talking about.

‘So… when Kevin and me started dating, that was one thing, right? He was pretty sure he was straight, I was still coming to terms with the fact that I spent a good chunk of my life forcing myself to be straight. Simply kissing was a pretty big thing, back then.’

It was a good memory, full of naïve insecurity, of stolen kisses and coy glances at each other from across the table. Connor felt warmth, a particular kind only associated with Kevin, rise in him as he continued.

‘Fast forward to half a year later and oh gosh, suddenly touching is not quite as innocent and look, someone’s shirt has come off. And that is a big thing, especially if it’s happening for the first time.’

Connor chuckles, thinking back to the evolution of his and Kevin’s relationship. They’d both grown up a fair bit even in those first weeks, and the closer they got, the more they… matured, Connor thought. That was the only fitting word.

Especially Kevin. Still ambitious to a fault, he’d mellowed out considerably in Connor’s presence, his oversized ego scaled down to a far more manageable size (although it could still be challenging, occasionally).

‘Because, and this is where the movies often get it wrong, sex is just about the closest you can physically get, but that intimacy also makes you very, very vulnerable on an emotional level. 

‘Not to mention that Hollywood has it all nicely polished and clean, and that’s definitely not how it goes.

‘Sex is a bit dirty, and some bodily fluids are trickier to wash out than others. On that note, a word of advice: shower sex is a bit meh as it is, but never, ever let water and cum mix. Genuinely, it’ll turn it sticky, and it’s awful to get rid of.’

‘That sounds… scary. And a bit gross. I’m not sure if you’re actually making me want to do it, Connor.' 

Nabulungi looked pensive, and Connor couldn’t resist running his hand through her hair, getting his fingers tangled in her voluminous curls.

‘What could I tell you to dispel that opinion?’

She didn’t miss a beat, as if she'd been waiting for him to ask this question. 

‘What was your first time like? Did it hurt? And… is Kevin actually the, you know, active part, between you?’

The blush was back, slowly rising from Connor’s neck to color his cheeks. It was weird, he thought. Normally, Kevin and him were more than comfortable talking to each other about their sex life, but speaking to Naba was making Connor see everything in a new light.

And he had so say, it was even better than he thought.

‘If you want to actually know, yes I’m usually the bottom, although we do switch round sometimes. And I genuinely can’t believe I’m telling you this, but our first time was like any first time people do it, I assume: a bit awkward, a bit weird and yes, maybe it did hurt a bit, but it does get better the more you try.

‘The second time we went all the way was spectacular, if I say so myself, because yes, we did try around a bit in between, and we did do our research.’

Naba grinned slightly, the tip of her tongue poking out between her teeth, and Connor stuck his tongue out in response. She really was like an adopted younger sister, with all the mischief and friendship that came with it.

‘Was I scared? Mh, not really, because I trusted Kevin and we had done just about everything else that wasn’t actually – and excuse me if that’s crude, but I have no elegant way of saying it – putting his dick in me. Plus, we’d been together for a year and a bit.

‘But if I were to give you any advice, it’d probably be that you should try and be on top. Because a penis is surprisingly big, and boys can be surprisingly unaccustomed with actually using it, so that gives you a bit more control, which means it might just not hurt after all.’

‘Why did it take you so long? I would’ve thought… you know, you’re so comfortable in your body, and I just always thought you and Steve had… done stuff.’

That was one thing always taking Connor aback – how everyone thought his relationship with Steve had been more than a silly crush, albeit one that would change Connor’s life forever. (And not in the way he’d liked it to.)

Okay, so they had kissed, and maybe Steve’s hand had landed on Connor’s crotch that one time, but he’d been just as sexually repressed as everyone else in the mission – not to mention that it had all happened while Connor’s age had barely been in double digits.

‘Why does everyone seem to think I was some sort of slut before I met Kevin?' 

He'd never really been sure whether it’s offensive or amusing how everyone thought Connor subscribed to the ‘promiscuous gay man’ stereotype. They should know better, really; then again, it never really came up in conversation. 

Until now, that was.

‘Well, were you?’

The beautiful thing about Nabulungi, Connor thought, is that she’s one of the least shallow, judgmental people he knows. As such, her question sounded neither confronting nor judging, but surprisingly neutral.

‘No! I was raised Mormon, just like everyone else in the mission, and that involved keeping the Law of Chastity,’ Connor turned to look at the ceiling, sighing a little.

‘Not to mention constantly being told I could never act on my desires and I would be doomed to a life in solitude, without love or companionship. But… just because I had a crush on Steve Blade doesn’t mean I did anything with him. Heck, I barely even kissed anyone before Kevin.’

Her face turned pensive once more, before she bent down to press a kiss to Connor’s cheek.

‘I’m sorry if I hurt you with this,’ she whispered in his ear, before rolling onto Kevin’s side of the bed. Connor followed her movement with his eyes, a sigh of relief nearly escaping him as she turned onto her side, looking at him once more.

‘So, how should we do it? Me and Arnold, I mean. Do you… you know, have tips?' 

This time it was Connor who laughed, stretching his body before turning towards his friend. 

‘If you wanted that question answered, you should’ve just asked straight away, not asked me embarrassing questions!’

‘They weren’t embarrassing, they were research!’ The grin on her face told a different story.

‘Well, then, to further your research, let me tell you this: take your time. Don’t rush, honestly. The two of you have all the time in the world, and there’s absolutely no shame in taking it slow and making sure you’re really ready.

‘And if you want the nitty gritty… well, it’ll be different for you, because your body is actually designed for this. Sex shouldn’t hurt, despite the myth. It might be uncomfortable or weird at first, and there might be a twinge here and there, but full-on pain is a warning sign. 

‘Also, lube is your friend and makes everything better. And for goodness sake, please use condoms. Unless you actually want a baby, that is.’

Naba gave him a funny look, then, before it was her face blossoming with a blush.

‘But… buying them is… embarrassing. Everyone will know!’

Connor’s only response was to roll his eyes.

‘Yes, but if you’re not ready to buy something that protects you against all sorts of STIs, as well as pregnancy, you might not be ready period.’

Looking at Naba, who suddenly had started to look unsure, he felt something tug at his heartstrings.

Her growing up had been so different to theirs, but with Mafala keeping a watchful eye over his daughter, it had been just as strict as the boys’. If not stricter, really – the villagers hadn’t exactly been… chaste, and sex seemed to be a topic they spoke far more freely about than the missionaries, so Naba’s innocence stuck out.

Reminded of his newly reacquired older brother duties, the redhead rolled over, digging around for a second before finding what he was looking for.

As he held out the square foil packets, Naba looked at them, then at Connor, as if unsure what to do.

‘You need to tie your hair up, so when you go do that, just take these and stash them away. But those are the only condoms I’ll ever provide you with, and only because I have an idea of what you feel like right now.' 

He expected a lot, but the young woman throwing herself at him, enveloping him in a hug, came as as a surprise.

‘Thank you. You’re the best,’ she mumbled, barely audible, before letting go again.

It really must mean a lot to her, Connor thought, before mentally slapping himself.

_Of course it does. Her family and most of her really close friends are thousands of miles away in Uganda, and she never had the chance to talk about this with her mom._

Out of the blue, it hit Connor just why Naba asked him, in particular, and why she kept digging into how sex worked, and who took which part, when it came to him and Kevin.

She had been looking for someone who didn’t just share the experience of losing their virginity, but for someone who was _the girl_ in that scenario. For a moment, Connor was confused as to why she hadn’t asked one of her female friends from college, but that soon made way for a feeling of being immensely touched.

‘And now come on. You go do your hair and brush your teeth, and I’ll get you an extra duvet and a pillow.’ 

With that, Connor hopped out of bed, offering Nabulungi a hand and twirling her once before busying himself with getting another set of bedding ready to the sound of her laughter before quickly texting Kevin.

As he caught sight of himself in the full-length mirror, his hair ruffled and a stupid grin on his face, Connor couldn’t resist pulling up his shirt just slightly to check his hips. Bingo. Now that they’d gone there, he might as well tease his friend a bit.

‘Hey Naba, wanna see something funny?' 

‘Always, although I've already spent a good chunk of tonight looking at your face,’ came the reply, before she bounded back into the room. Connor turned around, sticking his tongue out in response to her teasing before lifting his shirt on one side to reveal faint, finger-shaped bruises on his hips.

‘Oh my gosh, what did you do?’ Nabulungi looked shocked and intrigued, slowly climbing into bed as her eyes remained fixed on Connor’s marked skin.

‘Me? I didn’t do anything. Kevin made me scream, though.’

At first, there was an indignant, squeal, slightly scandalized if Connor judged the pitch right, before a pillow hit him square in the face.

‘Connor!!’

‘What? You asked, earlier! Now don’t complain if I tell you!’ Throwing the pillow back, he switched off the light before snuggling down as well, letting comfortable silence descend. 

He had just about dozed off when he felt a foot poke his calf.

‘Hey, Connor… when Kevin is here, do you do it every night?’ came Naba’s whisper.

The redhead groaned.

‘Ugh, no, I don’t think I could walk if we did. Or sit down, for that matter.’

Interpreting the giggle from the other side of the bed as an end to the conversation, he turned onto his stomach, hugging part of the duvet close as he fell asleep.

 

**-oOoOoOoOoOo-**

 

It was well past midnight when Kevin unlocked the door to his and Connor’s apartment, the familiar smell of their combined lives enveloping him like his most cherished blanket.

Connor had texted earlier, saying Naba was staying overnight, and when he didn’t see a human form on the sofa, Kevin snuck into the bedroom. 

The picture he found made his heart skip a beat. Kevin’s side of the bed was nearly entirely taken over by the young woman, one of her legs sticking out from beneath one of their spare duvets. In contrast, Connor was deep asleep, lying on his stomach on his own side of the bed, although more towards the middle as if leaving a space for Kevin.

He wished he could join them, but it was hardly appropriate. Resigning to his fate, Kevin carefully, quietly traipsed over, just to get the other spare duvet from below the bed. And yes, maybe to take a closer look at his sleeping boyfriend, just because.

He’d barely reached out to the draw when movement from just above him made Kevin stop in his tracks, hoping it was just one of the occupants shifting and not actually waking.

‘What are you doing?’ Connor’s voice was low and sleepy, but in the silence of the room Kevin could hear him full well.

‘Shhh… I’ll just migrate to the sofa, I didn’t mean to wake you,’ he whispered in reply, reaching over to gently rub his boyfriend’s arm.

‘Go back to sleep, I’ll be gone in a minute.’

The redhead made a sound somewhere between a quiet hum and a very displeased grumble before blindly reaching out for Kevin.

‘Why d'you wanna sleep on the sofa?’

Connor spoke slowly, mumbling more into the pillow than anything else, and Kevin couldn’t stop the grin slowly spreading over his face 

Chances were one of them wouldn’t remember the exchange tomorrow, and it wouldn’t be Kevin. Not to mention conversing with a more-than-half-asleep Connor always held its own intrinsic comedic value.

They were speaking low enough to not wake Naba, who was still peacefully slumbering on Kevin’s side of the bed, so he might as well indulge himself a bit.

‘Because you’re already sharing the bed with Naba, and I’m not kicking her out. Neither are you, for that matter,’ Kevin added before the idea could fester in his partner’s brain, sometimes disturbingly sharp even in the oddest situation.

It would be a shame to sleep alone tonight, especially after the rubbish flight, but he knew it was the right – the appropriate – thing to do, considering their friend’s status as a member of the Church and Arnold’s wife-to-be.

‘Sleeping next to a couple is a bit awkward, too. And I don’t want to keep you awake any longer.’

There was a pause, and Kevin thought Connor had fallen back asleep, but no such luck.

‘Don’t be silly,’ came the mumbled reply, just as Connor raised his head – revealing spectacular bed hair – and very blearily blinked at Kevin. 

‘Nothing’s awkward after the evening we had. She won’t mind. If she does, I’ll make her sleep in the hallway next time.’

With that, the redhead flopped down again, closing his eyes as he burrowed back under the duvet.

‘Just come to bed already. ‘m lonely.’

Kevin couldn’t help rolling his eyes, but his grin softened. As he stood up, he ran his hand through Connor’s hair, just because he could.

‘Alright, gimme a minute, bossypants.' 

With that, he ruffled the auburn strands, earning himself a sound of protest from Connor before making his way back into the living room to fish for his pajamas.

When he slipped under the covers two minutes later, using his phone as a guiding light so as not to wake Nabulungi after all (or once again rouse Connor, just in case he was back in la-la-land already), Kevin made no attempt to stop a soft, satisfied sigh from escaping. Next to him, Connor chuckled lowly, shifting fully onto his side so he was facing his boyfriend.

‘See? Told you it’d be better,’ he mumbled, only barely managing to not yawn in the middle of the sentence. 

‘I never doubted you, I just said it might be a bit awkward to share a bed with a couple,’ the blond shot back, reaching out for his partner.

‘Now come here, you!’ 

With that, he gently pulled Connor closer. Willingly following the younger man’s guidance, the redhead cuddled up to his boyfriend, tucking his head against Kevin’s neck and pressing a kiss to the soft spot behind his ear, just as Kevin snaked his hand under Connor’s tee to stroke the smooth, sleep-warm skin of his back.

‘Hey, no real kiss? I missed you!' 

‘’m tired, you woke me,’ Connor mumbled.

‘But if you insist.’

It was short and sweet, more a quick peck than anything else, but it was everything Kevin wanted. Truth be told, they would have plenty of time tomorrow, and an awake, well-rested Connor was a Connor happy to just kiss, make out and forget the time. Plus, Kevin had _really_ missed him, and he had the feeling they might end up back in bed once Naba was gone.

‘Good night, Connor,’ the former missionary whispered into the hair tickling his throat, receiving nothing but soft breathing in response.

 

**-oOoOoOoOoOo-**

 

When she woke up, her eyes still slightly unfocused from sleep, the first thing Nabulungi noticed was that she was alone, starfished in the middle of the bed. Apart from her own cover, she also seemed to have acquired Connor’s duvet, or parts of it.

For a moment, she just enjoyed the quiet and warmth; burying her head back into the pillow, the young woman smiled at the familiar smell of her best friends’ home, deeply ingrained in the cozy sheets.

But a slowly growing hunger (and curiosity as to what could’ve gotten Connor, a hedonist par excellence at times, out of bed already) drove her, so Naba battled her way out of the duvet’s cozy grip and made her way towards the kitchen. 

What she saw made her stop on the threshold, a wide, happy smile threatening to split her face in half.

Connor was sitting on the kitchen counter, his legs wrapped around Kevin’s waist, and their heads turned towards each other. The soft, wet noises of two people kissing made obvious what their slightly turned away position was partially hiding. Next to them, two frying pans were quietly sizzling away.

Watching them, just for a second while she decided how to interrupt them, Naba felt warm. She’d known Connor from the first day of his mission, and to see him this happy and comfortable made her proud and hopeful.

As she stood there, she also noticed something else, something Connor had spoken about last night. Now that she knew for sure the two men had slept with each other, Nabulungi thought she understood what her best friend had meant when he was speaking about a new level of intimacy.

The way Connor’s hands ran through his partner’s hair, gently scratching Kevin’s hairline, along his shoulders and down his back; and, more prominently, how Kevin’s hands gripped Connor’s hips, holding him close as one of them wandered underneath the redhead’s shirt.

The young woman chose that point to politely, but pointedly, cough.

‘You might want to watch out for whatever is in those pans,’ she deadpanned, amused by the way the couple hastily parted. 

‘Good morning, Naba,’ a visibly flustered Kevin pressed out, mixing smoothly with Connor’s far chirpier greeting. 

‘Good morning to you, too.’

As Kevin returned to the stove, flipping what Naba recognized as pancakes, Connor remained seated, looking adorably disheveled and slightly dazed. He gave his friend a little wave, the soppy smile on his face turning a bit smug as he side-eyed Kevin, before taking an apple and cutting it into fine slices. 

Rolling her eyes in fond exasperation, she quickly crossed the kitchen, hopping onto the counter next to Connor and bumping his shoulder once she had gotten comfortable. 

‘Did you have to sleep on the sofa because of me?’

Kevin turned round, a grin flitting over his face as he looked at the two of them. 

‘Well, I offered to do just that so you wouldn’t be uncomfortable, but someone,’ he shot Connor a look, ‘insisted I should share the bed with both of you since, I quote, he’d make you sleep in the hallway if you complained.’

‘I did not!’ To his credit, Connor managed to look genuinely appalled, while Kevin’s grin grew wider.

‘Oh, you so did. You were half asleep, true, but you made an awful lot of sense for once and sounded very serious.’

‘I always make sense!’

‘Not when you’re sleep-talking, you really don’t,’ Kevin elegantly flipped the pancakes one last time.

‘I always think you’d probably spill secrets if I’d only ask you the right questions.’

As she listened to the couple bicker, Naba filed the piece of information away in her mental file on Connor, fully planning on paying him back. 

‘So, Kevin… the bruises you gave Connor on his hips, what’s the deal with those again?’

**Author's Note:**

> Rejoice, I can write non-angsty things!
> 
> In all seriousness, I think the friendship between Connor and Nabulungi (and, at the same time, Kevin and Arnold) deserves more... exploration? Interpretation? Both of those? So I decided to give it a shot. Hope it was believable and fun, before I go back to the more depressing stuff I'm working on. 
> 
> As usual, I very much appreciate kudos and comments - they keep me happy and motivated to keep writing :)


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